Funds are requested to provide partial support for a Symposium entitled, "Testicular and Epididymal Function", and two State of the Art presentations to be presented at the 27th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR). Travel awards for trainees (non- NRSA recipients) are also requested. The SSR meeting will be held at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, July 24-27, 1994. The topic of the symposium was selected because of the interest of the membership, its importance in reproductive biology and the absence of a symposium in this area for 15 years. The three invited speakers are internationally recognized scientists. Dr. M. Griswold will address the role and regulation of Sertoli cells in spermatogenesis. Specifically he will focus on the obligatory relationship of Sertoli and germ cells in the production of sperm. Dr. A. Payne will discuss the regulation of the expression of steroidogenic enzymes in Leydig cells. She will present studies in which she investigated the hormonal regulation, tissue-specific expression and chromosomal location of these steroidogenic enzymes in the mouse. Dr. B. Robaire will discuss the epididymal epithelium and how this dynamically changing tissue is regulated. Dr. Robaire will focus on the regulation of 5alpha-reductase, epithelial-cadherin, SGP-2, and GST. The two State of the Art lectures will focus on novel techniques applicable to reproductive studies. Dr. S. Camper will explain the use of transgenic and embryonic stem cell technology to study gene expression, cell-cell interactions and gene function. She will review and discuss the use of transgenic mice to overexpress or ectopically express genes generating animal models of hyperplasia, tumorigenesis, and other disease states to test efficacy of gene therapy, and to study cell-cell interactions and lineage relationships of cell during development. Dr. J. Robinson will describe the use of in vivo microdialysis to deliver substances (e.g. receptor agonist, antagonists) to a specific site within a tissue and to sample substances in limited samples of fluid. The techniques can be used for studies in gonads, uterus, pituitary gland, brain, blood, etc. in the conscious freely moving animal. Funds are also requested for travel awards to trainees because the SSR meeting is a very friendly meeting for trainees, allowing them to meet senior scientists and to present their research. The majority of the papers presented are given by trainees. Support of trainees has allowed many more trainees to attend SSR who otherwise may not be able to attend.